Neural Effect of Childhood Maltreatment on Neurovascular Coupling in Adolescent Depression

Motivation: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a pivotal risk factor for depression, yet its potential contribution to major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents requires further investigation. Goal(s): This study aims to scrutinize the specific impact of CM on neurovascular coupling (NVC) in adolescents with MDD. Approach: We conducted a study involving 189 adolescents (aged 12-18), exploring the interactive effects between CM and MDD on cerebral blood flow, neuronal activity, and NVC. Results: We observed dysregulated NVC in the reward and visual cortices, which correlated with CM severity, especially physical neglect. Furthermore, neuroimaging features identified in our study demonstrated the potential to distinguish adolescents with MDD. Impact: These results enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying depression and suggest neuroimaging biomarkers for CM-related vulnerability to MDD in adolescents.